The Environmental Education Program has the primary purpose of supporting programs and projects which will result in long-term educational benefits to potentially all California educators and/or students.
The state legislature approved the allocation of Environmental License Plate Funds (ELPF) to the California Department of Education (CDE) to support the distribution of funds through the Environmental Education Program. The 2007-10 California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network Grant Request for Application is available.
2007-08 environmental education grant funding results.
Program Questions
Anne Stephens, email: astephens@cde.ca.gov, tel. 916-319-0241
Alice Ng, email: ang@cde.ca.gov, tel. 916-323-4636
E-mail lists : If you would like to receive Environmental Science Education updates via e-mail notification about resources, workshops, institutes, funding opportunities, contests, and legislation related to Environmental Science and Environmental Education, subscribe to the Lyris e-mail list by sending a "blank" message to join-environmental-science-ed@mlist.cde.ca.gov.
If you would like to unsubscribe from the Environmental Science Education Lyris e-mail list, send a "blank" message to unsubscribe-environmental-science-ed@mlist.cde.ca.gov.
Statewide Environmental Education Resources
Partnering Agencies
California
Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN) (Outside
Source)
Consortium of environmental educators from California state agencies
who supply environmental educational services, materials, and
programs.
California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) (Outside Source)
The mission of the six boards departments, and offices within the Cal/EPA "umbrella" is to restore, protect, and enhance the environment, to ensure public health, environmental quality, and economic vitality.
California
Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) (Outside Source)
Site provides standards based kindergarten through grade twelve curriculum,
integrated waste management information and assistance for schools
and districts.
Programs and Initiatives
CREEC Network (Outside
Source)
A statewide project, directed by the CDE, providing educators with high quality environmental education
resources. See the CREEC
Resource Directory (Outside Source) to access a searchable
database of resources in your county, region, or statewide.
Education and the Environment Initiative (Outside Source)
The mission of the Education and Environment Initiative is to develop a unified strategy to bring education about the environment into school districts using the Model Curriculum Plan and California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.
Education and the Environment: Strategic Initiatives for
Enhancing Education in California
Publication describes the rationale and strategies to provide
the leadership necessary to improve environmental education in
California. The plan provides direction and priorities for building
a foundation for high quality, environment-based education in
California. A copy may be purchased through CDE
Press by calling 800-995-4099 and ordering publication number
001571.
Earth Day (Outside Source)
Earthday.gov is a cooperative effort across the entire U.S. government. Earthday.gov is a portal to resources and information for teachers and students that promotes environmental awareness and education throughout the year.
Environmental
Education Special Events (Outside Source)
A list of statewide environmental education events, including events
such as educator fairs and conferences.
NOAA California Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program (Outside Source)
The B-WET Program is an environmental education program that supports locally relevant experiential learning in the kindergarten through grade twelve environment. The primary delivery is through competitive grants.
Project Learning Tree (Outside Source)
Project Learning Tree® (PLT) is an award-winning,multi-disciplinary environmental education program for educators and students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. PLT is a program of the American Forest Foundation (Outside Source). It is one of the most widely used environmental education programs in the United States and abroad, and continues to set the standard for environmental education excellence.
Project Wet (Outside Source)
Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is an award-winning, nonprofit water education program and publisher. The program facilitates and promotes awareness, appreciation, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources through the dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids and the establishment of internationally sponsored Project WET programs. The Water Education Foundation is the California Coordinator for Project WET.
Project Wild K-12, Project WILD Aquatic, and High School Science and Civics: Sustaining Wildlife (Outside Source)
A nationwide environmental education program consisting of activity guides and supplementary environmental materials for kindergarten through grade twelve classrooms, youth groups, home school, and nature centers. Completely revised in 2001, Project Wild encompasses over 165 environmental education activities. The Project Aquatic Activity Guide contains over 48 activities. Science and Civics may be used for teaching field methods and service learning.
Curriculum Resources
A
Child's Place in the Environment (ACPE) (Outside Source)
ACPE is a series of six environmental education curriculum
guides for elementary school teachers that integrates science,
English-language arts, and selected children's literature and
culminates with student projects, which enhance their environment
and provide experiences in service learning. Guides correlate
to California's content standards in science and English-language
arts. Sample
assessment questions for ACPE (Outside Source) are available
for review.
The California Endangered Species Resource Guide identifies rare, threatened, and endangered species in all 58 counties of California. It is available through CDE Press by calling 800-995-4099 and ordering publication number 009779.
State Education
and Environment Roundtable (SEER) (Outside Source)
A cooperative endeavor of sixteen state departments of education
working to enhance student achievement through environment-based
education.
California Student Assessment Project (PDF; Outside Source)
A SEER document about the effects of environment-based education on student achievement.
Environmental Education Compendia Series
Topical compilations containing descriptive evaluations of high quality, supplemental, environmental education curricula for kindergarten through grade twelve.
Compendium
for Air Quality Curriculum (no longer available)
The compendium identifies quality materials appropriate for the
classroom and outdoors.
Communities: A review of curricula on natural and built environments
Available for free through the Department of Water Resources water education form (Outside Source).
Compendium
for Energy Resources (PDF; Outside Source)
This compendium is an easy-to-use guide to environmental education
materials focusing on energy resources.
Integrated Waste Management and Used Oil
Information on quality instructional materials, which have been
teacher-evaluated.
(CDE Press publication number
009721)
Water Resources
Quality instructional materials, which have been teacher-evaluated.
Available for free through the Department of Water Resources water education form (Outside Source).
Contest
Disney Planet Challenge (Outside Source)
Formerly known as Disney Environmentality Challenge, this environmental education program is offered to all fourth through sixth grade classes
throughout the U.S., including public and private schools. Recognition is given to students
who pledge to care for the environment and to teachers who coordinate
projects. Classes that complete projects and submit portfolios
to CDE can win prizes; historically this includes a class trip to Disneyland.
